Takapuna rugby brothers make soccer dad proud

Takapuna 27 Glenfield 6

Of the many spectators at Albany on Saturday for the North Harbour premier club rugby final between Takapuna and Glenfield, none was prouder than Adrian Elrick, the former All White soccer international and member of the famous side which was at the 1982 World Cup.

Elrick's two sons, talented second five-eighths Jon and equally promising fullback Nick, were in the Takapuna side which scored a crushing win over the surprise finalists, Glenfield.

Elrick snr is no recent convert to rugby because of his sons' exploits.

He played rugby as well as soccer in his youth. He attended Palmerston North Boys High in the late 1960s, playing in the same 1st XV as future All Blacks Ian Stevens, Bob Burgess and John Loveday.

"I was lucky enough to go to a school where you were encouraged to take part in as many sports as possible," he said.

Because of the wet conditions many had thought the rugged Glenfield side might cause an upset, particularly as in their immediate route to the final, they had beaten such well-performed sides as Massey and Marist, the two who had finished first and second in the qualifying round robin.

But there was only one side in the final. Building on a tradition which has seen the club win the Harbour championship eight times as well as twice winning Auckland's Gallaher Shield, Takapuna were much too strong.

They started well with a smart try to bullocking left wing Steve Skinnon and sealed the game near halftime with a try to flanker Charles Waide.

The Takapuna pack then outplayed Glenfield going into the stiff wind and impressive halfback Jonny Volckman, the most dangerous runner in the match, wrapped up the result with the final try.

For Takapuna yet another premiership title was a fitting way to farewell coach Blair Larsen, with the former All Black leaving soon to take up a contract in Sicily, Italy.

Glenfield coach Walter Little agreed his team had been outplayed by a Takapuna side adapting better to the conditions, but the former All Black was still proud of the efforts of his mainly young players.

North Shore beat Silverdale 25-17 in the plate final despite wasting a lot of chances playing with the wind in the first half.

It was the last premier club game for three Shore stalwarts, inside backs Boyd Gillespie and Justin Poihipi and lock and captain Phil Weedon.